


Jailbirds

by CaptainoftheRirenShip



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prison, Gunshot Wounds, M/M, Mild Gore, Murder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prison, Prison Sex, jailbreak
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2018-10-15 19:29:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10556464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainoftheRirenShip/pseuds/CaptainoftheRirenShip
Summary: "What're you in for, Smith?" "Me? Oh, I just stole a pen." Levi was not amused by his answer. Alternatively, the fic where Levi attempts to find out what law Erwin broke while they try to escape prison together. Eruri.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sorkari](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorkari/gifts).



> Thank you, Sorkari, love of my life, for this absolute trash we came up with entirely too late one night.
> 
> this was a oneshot but the scenes didn't flow very well so it's in short chapters

"I can walk perfectly fucking well by my own damn self!"

The usually still night of the prison was interrupted by a nearly feral snarl, waking several inmates as the guards passed. Some grumbled, others swore, others came to their doorways and stared in interest. Some even cat-called and whistled upon seeing the person the prison guards had in tow.

"Is this really necessary? Stop lugging me around like a fucking rock! I have two feet, let me fucking use them! For fuck's sake!"

"Will you shut the hell up?" one of the guards snapped. "You're disturbing the other inmates."

The short man continued to gripe and complain as the two officers poked and prodded him down the halls, ignoring that either of them had even said a word. "And these goddamn fucking handcuffs are biting into my skin, let the fuck go of them!"

"Watch your goddamn mouth," the other guard spat, and before the prisoner could bite back, he was tossed unceremoniously into a cell. "You'll regret it, Ackerman."

"Or what?" Ackerman sneered, righting himself effortlessly even with his hands cuffed, and spitting at the officers' feet. "Fight me, you fuckwits! I'll kick both your asses with no hands and strangle you with these goddamn handcuffs!"

"Keep starting fights," the guard threatened, "and you'll become someone's bitch. Or better yet, everyone's little slut."

The raven-haired man was speechless as reality set in - rather, smashed into him like a train - and he stared dumbly as the door slammed closed. The gears in his head came to a screeching halt at the noise, and all insults and gripes escaped him. It wasn't like he'd never been behind bars before. He was a thief and murderer. Slitting a man's throat in his sleep usually resulted in jail time, so he was familiar with it. He was no stranger to prison.

However, federal . . . federal was a lot different from state.

"Well, well. Who did the guards bring us this time?"

He'd been so overwhelmed with shock that he hadn't heard the shifting of cell mates waking up, and he silently cursed his inattention as he whirled around. Two large, beefy men stared him down, identical crooked grins on their faces. They looked very similar, even in the dark; they were probably brothers. Ackerman backed away by instinct, cursing when he realized his hands were still cuffed.

"He looks like a feisty little piece of meat, Joe." The larger of the two cracked his knuckles, smirking. His slightly smaller companion inched closer to the raven, grin widening.

"You know I like it when they fight, Jim." A nearly feral snarl tore from Ackerman's throat as Joe approached, but all it got was a small flinch back. "They're more fun to break. Do you know who we are, little man?"

Ackerman leaned away, scrunching his nose at their putrid breath as he scanned their faces and his memory. It clicked in his mind rather quickly - the Blues Brothers. Named ironically for their attacks on gospel churches, they were arrested for mass genocide after assaulting six churches, shooting the inhabitants and burning the structures to the ground.

Ackerman only turned his head away at the realization, curling his upper lip in content. Against all common sense and his better judgment, despite all his instincts screaming at him, he scoffed, "You just look like a couple of retarded failed back alley abortions to me."

When the fist came flying for his face, it was in slow motion. He'd known it would happen. All it took was him ducking, and the sickening crunch of bone against metal made him wince for the smallest of moments. Then he was throwing himself to the side to avoid a kick, scrambling to his feet an instant later and delivering one of his own to Joe's face - or Jim's? Not that it mattered, nor did he care - with a moment of satisfaction at the yelp and blood splatter that followed.

"Do you know who the fuck _I_ am?" he hissed fiercely, spitting at the brothers on the ground in contempt.

He reached behind his ear and grabbed a bobby pin from his messy locks, quickly undoing his handcuffs now that he had the chance. He threw them at one of the brothers, taking satisfaction in the muted 'ow' he heard.

"I am Levi Ackerman. I am No Name. I am the hitman whose stories your inbred mother told you while breastfeeding."

"You're not that much older than us," one brother ground out, much more feeble now under the blood flow. Levi's lips curled into a cruel smirk, and he picked the cuffs up off the ground, dangling them on one finger.

"I was under the impression you were both still mama's boys, sucking from her tit as grown men." He stepped closer, his glare daring them to make a move while he linked the cuffs through the bars and cuffed their hands together. "I remember your trial. Did you know I was there? You went on and on about her, crying like the abandoned little shitheads you are, begging her to save you." Levi cinched the cuffs extra tight, curling his upper lip back in contempt. "Pathetic."

Immediately Joe and Jim burst into angry shouting, but Levi was already out of their reach, climbing onto an untouched top bunk and curling himself up, rather like a cat. He yawned rather dramatically, nestling into the cot, and said simply, "Goodnight, children."

But he didn't sleep, and the next morning found two officers tackling him to the ground, cuffing him, and dragging him out of the cell.

"Get the _fuck_ off of me, you uniformed pissants!"

Screaming himself raw was not Levi's idea of a good way to start the day, but apparently the guards didn't take too kindly to an inmate escaping his confines and crippling two other prisoners.

"Stop struggling!"

"I'll shove a fucking bomb in your wife's goddamn hellspawn creator, I don't give a fuck! Let me go!"

The officers dragged him down the hall, amidst hoots from the other inmates. Levi dropped all his dead weight, making the guards struggle to pull him along.

"I refuse to go anywhere until you tell me where we're going!"

"You'll see, so just behave!"

"The moment I'm out of these cuffs, I'll shove my foot so far up your ass you'll be picking my toenails from between your teeth!"

A painful jolt raced down his spine suddenly and set his nerves on fire, his muscles tightening painfully. A pathetic, degrading whine left his lips, and he glowered at the men practically carrying him at this point as one shoved the taser back in his belt with a smug expression.

"That was nothing. If you don't want another shock, you're gonna behave, aren't you?"

"Kiss my sweet ass," Levi rasped, glaring through unkempt bangs at the guards.

They blatantly ignored him, and the tops of his feet dragged on the concrete floor as they pulled his limp form along. He wasn't surprised when they stopped at a heavy iron door, opening it and throwing him unceremoniously into the cell. He stared around in contempt at his surroundings, standing slowly on still weak legs and frowning at the door.

"Really, now, what is the point of keeping me in these cuffs?" he grumbled to himself, plopping down onto the cot with a rather angry huff.

As he regretted his decision to attack his cellmates, another man stood out in the hall, away from the gazes of the guards. He rubbed his chin in thought, ice blue eyes taking in the foot of steel required to keep in such a small man. His lips quirked up into an intrigued smile before he whisked away into the dark hallways.

.-.-.-.-.

"If we let you go to the cafeteria, will you behave?"

After three days of two meals a day under the door that consisted of unrecognizable mush, Levi was ready to tear his hair out. He had leaped on the opportunity to escape the cell, dealing with the poking and prodding just to get the damn cuffs off. But now, standing in the breakfast line and watching the "food" being prepared and the predatory glances he was getting, he was starting to regret taking the opportunity.

"Look what the cat dragged in!" came a booming, mocking voice, accompanied by jeers. "Looks like you didn't like lockdown, huh, little man?"

Levi turned slowly, not giving them the satisfaction of seeing his anger. The Blues Brothers stood a mere few feet from him, surrounded by men just as big and burly as them, if not bigger. Silver blue eyes took in each one. They wore identical sleazy grins, had several prison tattoos, and their hands were the size of Levi's entire head. Their muscles rippled beneath their clothes, and if it weren't for the circumstances, Levi might have considered seduction.

He had a feeling that this time around, seduction wasn't necessary to be pinned down and fucked mercilessly.

"Was the ass-kicking I gave you the other night not enough?" Levi drawled, noting with dissatisfaction that the bruising had faded rapidly.

"You're not going to get that far this time, gorgeous," one of the other men said, cracking his knuckles. "We're going to make sure you can't resist."

"We'll do what we should have the first night - shove our cocks so far down your throat and ass that you'll be begging for mercy."

"Gonna take turns with that tight ass. You'll regret what you did."

"Oh, great. Prison rape. What I always wanted." Levi rolled his eyes in an attempt to seem apathetic as he scanned for an escape route. His heart thundered in his ribcage at his impending fate. He turned his nose up at them and moved to push past the crowd, scoffing, "I don't have time for this -"

It was inevitable that the fist in his hair would happen, and he let out a barely audible hiss when his inky black locks were yanked painfully. He dropped his tray of mystery mush, making a grab for the arm connected to the hand, but before he could get a grip, it disappeared.

"Actually, men, I would like to have this one."

Levi whirled around at the new voice, and he barely withheld the exclamation of _holy fuck, I'd ride that so fucking hard._

Tall, blond, and handsome's lips curved into a smile, friendly on the surface. But Levi was an expert at reading expressions, and something about the man's smile wasn't right. The blond was tall and muscled, but smaller than the other men surrounding him, and his clothes and hair were immaculate. His fingers dug into the forearm of the man that had grabbed Levi, his smile never faltering.

"He's just my type," blondie said in a smooth tone, ice blue eyes sliding over Levi's form and sending a shiver down his spine. "That is, if none of you have a problem giving him to me?"

Levi was so certain that Adonis of a man was about to be pummeled when, to his utter shock, the others backed off.

"Thank you, gentlemen," the chiseled god-man said, and offered a hand to Levi. "Now . . . it seems as though I own you, little pet. What is your name?"

Overwhelming rage consumed the ravenet from nowhere at the words, and he ignored the hand, spitting at the man's feet. "Nobody fucking owns me, you uptight fuckface - " _As in I want to fuck your face._ " - so you had better fucking watch yourself."

"Oh? I just saved you from all those beasts." Levi let out a startled, feral growl when in one rapid movement the man pinned his arms behind his back. He started to struggle, but the whisper in his ear sent a delicious shiver down his spine, and his knees buckled. "If you don't play nice, they'll take you back. So why don't you be a good boy, Ackerman, and do as I ask?"

"Go fuck yourself," Levi hissed, wrenching away from the grip.

"I reckon I'm supposed to fuck _you_ ," the blond mused, smile never faltering, though darkness lurked in its depths. "We can save that for later. I'm Erwin Smith." When Levi refused to answer, Erwin shrugged slightly and continued speaking, releasing Levi's arms. "Need I remind you that the guards watching right now would have let you be raped?"

"I wouldn't have let it happen," Levi hissed. "I would die first."

"But then the prison would try to keep you alive," Erwin pointed out. "You would only face these problems again, weaker and unable to fight."

"What's your fucking point? Are you saying I should trust you? You, who apparently fucking own me?"

Erwin was quiet a moment, then turned away, heading for the cafeteria exit. "Come with me; I know where we can talk in private."

Levi stared after him in bewilderment. "You think I'm dumb enough to follow you? Besides, they -" he gestured to the officers guarding the double doors. "- won't let me out. Not after what I've done."

"Yes, killing three of their officers with your bare hands, crippling another for life, beating the holy hell out of two inmates, and attacking an officer with his own taser usually puts you in a bad light."

"I - how did you - ?"

"I know things. Now, won't you come with me so we can have a civilized conversation?" Erwin gave a friendly smile when Levi opened his mouth to point out the obvious, adding, "I can get you past the pigs. Also, I have real food."

That made Levi perk up instantly, though he tried to hide it. He glanced around the room shiftily, before his suspicious stare landed on Erwin. "If you try anything I'll rip out your goddamn throat with my fucking teeth."

"But of course," Erwin agreed pleasantly. "Follow me."

Levi was so shocked at the prospect of this man having so much to offer that he didn't even notice the looks exchanged between Erwin and the guards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> before anyone asks, I'm guessing this will be somewhere from 4-6 short chapters
> 
> Remember, my lovelies: follows and favorites are appreciated, comments are revered~


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> are you guys ready for some sexual tension because h o o b o y am i reADY
> 
> don't expect these updates to happen quickly bc this was actually prewritten and im impatient but i hope you enjoy them anyways gjdkfjsdf

"So what're you in for, Smith?" Levi questioned as they walked past, honestly curious. Erwin looked surprised for a moment, but smiled a moment later.

"Me? Oh, I just stole a pen," he hummed.

Levi was not amused by his answer.

"That's bullshit."

"Now, why would you say that?" Erwin responded, looking offended, but his grin gave it all away.

 _Goddamn, that smile could cure cancer._ But that wasn't important.

"Don't mock me," Levi warned, pushing aside the intruding thoughts. "You look like fucking jail bait. You should be a prison whore. All it took was a few words to sent those retards back there running when they should have been passing you around like a fucking blunt. So what did you _really_ do?"

Erwin shrugged, looking amused. "Okay, I pushed an old lady. But I really did steal a pen, you know."

"Pushed an old lady," Levi repeated flatly.

A shrug. "She might've broken her hip."

Levi stopped walking for a moment, glare burning holes in the blond's back. Erwin turned around and raised his eyebrows in a silent question, and after a pause Levi joined him again, but not before making a promise in a low growl.

"I'm going to find out one way or another, you fucktard."

"But I've already told you, Levi."

"Bullshit," the ravenet accused again. "It takes more than petty theft or battery to get into federal prison, especially if you're a walking god. Only a guilty man hides."

"Do you think so?"

"I know so."

Erwin only laughed. "We'll see."

.-.-.-.-.

Levi had been so sure of himself that it would only take a few days, at most. That he would either have Erwin or someone else squealing. That he would get that one tidbit of information he desired, and could then move on.

That was not the case.

It was so simple, what he wanted to know. A few words, maybe a short story. He couldn't find it anywhere. Everyone Levi cornered knew all about it - that much he was sure of - but for some reason, they all refused to tell. Each and every one of them would rather have their noses broken and fingers nailed to the backs of their hands than reveal Erwin's story, and Levi simply couldn't fathom _why._

It was what one man said when he was cornered, what he finally confessed, that answered that little question . . . and raised a million more.

"Why will none of you answer me?" Levi had asked in bewilderment as his victim screamed.

"Because Smith told us not to say a word to his little _pet_ ," the man had said, spitting out the title like venom and getting blood on Levi's feet.

Was that what Erwin was calling him behind his back? Levi delivered another kick to the man's gut just for the bad attitude, then dropped him unceremoniously on the floor. "What a bunch of fuckin' pansies," he grumbled, padding down the hall and away from the groaning heap of inmate. He had a certain god-man to hunt down for his word choice now.

Levi was no one's pet. He had made that very clear when they first met - it'd be a lie if he didn't admit, though, that he'd be weak kneed if tall, blonde, and handsome called him that in a low whisper in his ear - and Erwin had been civil enough to call him by his name. But, apparently, that was only to his face.

Erwin was waiting for him at their shared cell. Luck, Erwin had called it when Levi was told who his new cell mate was, but the raven knew there was something else. It was far-fetched to say he was pulling strings, but still, it sure seemed like it. But that wasn't on Levi's mind, at the moment - something else was.

 _"Pet?!"_ Levi demanded as he stormed towards the man.

"I suppose I figured that one would slip eventually," the blond replied nonchalantly. "Which one told you?"

"I am not your fucking pet, you piece of shit!"

Levi should have known better than to think he could rush Erwin. As experienced as he was, he knew the taller man was dangerous. He supposed he was lucky Erwin just decided to grab his wrists and shove him to the floor; his skull cracked painfully on the concrete as he went down and his vision went black for a second, but he was relatively unharmed.

Not that he didn't know for a fact Erwin could have easily killed him.

"Get off of me."

Said man was hovering above him, looking rather amused by the attempt at attack. Levi seethed silently, a dark glower matching the challenging stare. He tried to wriggle out from under Erwin, but the weight pinning his hips down was too heavy, and the hands on his wrists were closed painfully tight. The position was embarrassing, the sinful scenarios creeping at the edges of his thoughts even more so.

"If I do, you can't attack me again."

"I make no promises."

"Then I'm not moving." Their little staredown didn't last long, as Erwin's expression quickly shifted into something more serious. "We need to talk."

"That's what I came here for, asshole," Levi spat, eyes narrowing. "You can't go around treating me like your fucking _property_. I am a human being -"

Erwin didn't let him finish.

"You _are_ my property," he said, tone eerily calm. Levi's heart skipped a beat. This wasn't the pleasantly passive aggressive man he had met in the cafeteria. This wasn't the polite asshole he shared a room with.

This was someone powerful. Someone he hadn't met yet. Someone he didn't want to get to know.

"You are no longer a person. I don't want to take advantage of that, but you are mine, and essentially, I can do whatever I want to or with you. But I don't. Understand that you're lucky."

As much as Levi wanted to angrily snap back, he had no real comeback. Instead he settled for, "And what the fuck is your point?"

"I felt the need to address that, as you brought it up."

Erwin's serious expression didn't falter. Immediately, Levi regretted his word choice, but the blond didn't get violent, surprisingly enough. The look on his face, however, was more than enough to have him shrinking back. Whereas he would usually be entertained by the smaller man's anger, he now seemed almost angry behind that calm exterior. Every instinct was screaming at Levi to run, to get away from this dangerous man.

"What I was originally going to say is this: stop attacking other inmates."

Levi was taken aback at the request. Demand? He wasn't sure, but either way, Erwin had seemed so entertained by Levi's actions before. Where had the change of heart come from?

"Not until you tell me how you got in," Levi said defiantly, pushing his fear to the back of his mind in favor of getting answers. He wasn't about to give up on his mission just because a few inmates were complaining about a broken bone here or there. What did Erwin care, anyways?

"You don't understand. You can't just go around beating them senseless."

"And why not?"

"Because I said so."

"I am not a pet!" Levi growled dangerously, anger slamming back into him full force. Something in his gut was urging him to back down, but something louder was demanding he stand up for himself, insisting he fight back. An angel on one shoulder, a devil on the other. Unfortunately, Levi had always favored the devil. "I will do what I damn well please whether you like it or not!"

Levi had never heard Erwin raise his voice above an amused chuckle. Hearing it go above that sent a chill of fear down his spine, even if it was only the smallest bit louder. Or maybe it was the unveiled threat, the growling undertone, the clear order. Levi had never seen Erwin angry before.

"You're going to do what I say, or I'm going to make it where you can't even walk, let alone pick fights. Am I clear, _pet?"_

There was that tingle of fear again, accompanied by a sense of indignation at the name - and a pleased shiver down his spine that Levi would never admit to. But more than that was the realization that Erwin wasn't kidding. Levi had no doubt that the blond could break his legs and force him into bedrest for months, or his back and paralyze him forever. He could bruise the right tendon, clip his Achilles. The ravenet didn't doubt Erwin would do it, either. With the position they were in, hell, if Levi was rebellious enough, Erwin might even fuck him into submission.

At the sudden thought, Levi's expression shifted into a mix of morbid curiosity and slight fear, and he glanced down at where their hips connected. Erwin noticed the look, and his serious countenance was broken by a sinister smile.

"I could do that, too," he mused. "I'd have fun ruining your tough act. You wouldn't be able to move the next day."

"You won't touch me," Levi immediately responded. And yet the ravenet's voice wasn't as strong as he intended when he denied the claim, and it seemed to only amuse Erwin, who leaned down, lips close to Levi's ear.

"Won't I?"

The shiver that ran down his spine was a confusing mess of fear and desire, and Levi found himself questioning his priorities. Just seconds ago, he'd attacked Erwin with intent to seriously maim, and now he was fighting to control his breathing, pinned by the wrists and hips. He knew that, at this point, it was no secret that there was serious physical desire on Levi's side. Erwin knew it. Erwin knew everything, the fucker, and of course he used it to his advantage, rolling his hips ever so subtly against the ravenet's. Thankfully it wasn't enough for any real problems to _pop up,_ but when the blond straightened, he took one look at Levi's face and let out a deep chuckle.

"So flushed, someone might think you actually wanted it," he hummed. "I'll let you off the hook now." Erwin released the ravenet's wrists, allowing Levi to at least sit upright. "But if you try to pull that again, remember what I've said here."

Levi rubbed his wrists, more indignant (and still a confusing mess of scared and horny) than hurt, a harsh glare directed at the blond to hide his moment of weakness. Erwin quirked an eyebrow.

"One more thing."

In an instant he was tilting Levi's chin up, their eyes locking intensely. Levi's glare didn't falter, the fear that had previously consumed him turning quickly into hatred; the _nerve_ of this asshole! Erwin was playing at his desires now, toying with his wants in an attempt to control him. Levi was determined not to let it work. It didn't matter how badly he wanted to choke on Erwin's cock - he hated the guy, and he wouldn't let that asshole use it as leverage.

He bit the inside of his cheek, defiant glare intensifying. He'd get back at that royal prick soon enough. But for now, he'd bite his tongue and keep his silence.

The staring contest went on a few more seconds before Erwin's stern expression relaxed, and he patted Levi's cheek.

"Smile more, Levi. This place isn't all that bad, so long as you behave."

 _Behave,_ Levi echoed mentally, watching as Erwin got up and walked away without another word. He clenched his fists, fury swirling in the depths of his mind.

_Yeah fucking right._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short, but i couldnt really fit in another scene without making this way longer than the other two chapters. sorry.

"Levi, meet Armin."

The blond in question raised his hand in greeting as he spun around in his swivel chair.

Levi was startled at the sight that greeted him. When Erwin had mentioned having a hell of a man for intel, a small, lanky kid wasn't exactly what came to mind. His hair fell almost to his shoulders, silky and soft, and Levi questioned how he was allowed to keep it that long and where the hell he was finding decent shampoo and conditioner. Armin glanced up, and baby blue eyes met gunmetal silver.

The hand that greeted Levi instantly fell to those shiny locks, wrapping a few strands around his finger in a show of blatant insecurity and breaking eye contact to look hesitantly at Erwin.

"Hey," Levi greeted coolly. Armin didn't look at him, and a jolt of irritation had the ravenet's frown deepening.

"Armin is one of mine, too." The annoyance morphed instantly into inexplicable jealousy ( _mine,_ that fucker had said, as if he hadn't said the same thing about  _him_ ) and Levi had to count to ten as Erwin continued. "He handles any hacking, spying, or tracking I need done. He knows where to find anyone at any given time, he's got security's rounds memorized like the back of his hand, and at any given time he could shut this place down completely."

Armin went a little pink. "Not that he needs me for any of that," he said hastily. "Erwin could do it all himself if he wanted."

_What a kissass._

Erwin waved his hand dismissively. "Not as good as you can."

He made pointed eye contact with Levi, and despite the smooth features, he could  _feel_ the smugness radiating from the taller man. Erwin knew all the praise was getting under Levi's skin, and he knew that Levi knew he knew. Asshole.

Turning back to Armin, Erwin went on, "Levi's new, as you already know. I think he'll be helpful. Did you see what he did his first night?"

Armin shook his head. "I don't  _live_ in here, Erwin. I've heard a few things, though." He looked back at Levi and gave him a sly smile, a bit of a surprise from someone who seemed so shy. "It tends to get around when you kill multiple guards. And you beat up  _the_ Blues Brothers?"

"You say that like it's an accomplishment." Despite his irritation at others' bragging, Levi wasn't above it, himself. Armin grinned at him, some of the shyness fading, and a little of Levi's annoyance went with it. "They were cowards that just used a lot of gunpowder and racism instead of any real skill."

"That's easy for you to say," Armin said, wrinkling his nose. "I'm squishy."

Erwin chuckled, slipping an arm around Armin's shoulders and flashing that charming smile of his. Armin seemed to grow smaller, somehow, with just the touch of Erwin's fingers on his upper arm making his cheeks flare red in a furious blush. The tension that had ebbed away returned full-force, and Levi clenched his fists. His fury was not unnoticed by Erwin, though Armin was too busy being flustered.

"I prefer it that way," he said smoothly. Levi wanted to punch that stupid smile right off his stupid face, and the increasing blush off of Armin's. "Small and soft for me."

Everyone knew it was an innuendo. He didn't even try to hide it, and Levi wanted to choke him for it. Or Armin. What was that about people wanting to squish cute things because of an urge to kill them so they would stop being so cute? Yeah. Basically that.

"I need to be off," Erwin announced, removing his arm from Armin's shoulders and heading for the door. "Things to do, people to coerce. Get along, you two, and Armin, brief him."

The door clicked shut behind him. It was silent now, save for the static coming from a few of the screens, and Armin swiveled back and forth slightly in his chair, twirling a few strands of hair between his fingers. He would not look at Levi, and it was aggravating, because damn it, Levi was sending death glares and they didn't matter if nobody saw them. Finally, Armin looked up, winced at the violent eye contact, and spun around to look at his screens.

"Uh . . . " Armin cleared his throat. " . . . welcome to the party?"

Levi snorted. "Thanks." He joined Armin at the desk and stared up at the wall of screens. "What is all this?" he asked, the obvious question with the obvious answer, but Armin seemed glad for the excuse to move on.

"Every security camera in the building," he said proudly, and on the little desktop computer, began typing. "I use it to keep track of patrols. They change weekly, but there's four basic patrol schedules that they stick to, so it's just a matter of watching and matching them up."

So he just figured out guard patrols? Any prisoner could figure that out just by watching from his cell. "Is that all?"

Armin spluttered slightly, and the rapid typing faltered. "No, that's not all," he sniffed.

His fingers flew across the keyboard. All at once, every screen turned blue, and then, suddenly, all lit up with various pictures and information. Levi scanned the monitors and, with a jolt after seeing his name and mugshot, realized that it was a database of inmates. The screen with his information on it flickered with the rest, and turned into a different inmate he did not know.

"Every inmate in the system," he murmured, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't in awe. The screens flickered once more, and then there were more faces, but under different files. He realized with a jolt that they were personnel and let out a low whistle. "Holy shit, kid."

"I said I wasn't that special," Armin said, "but don't underestimate me."

In an instant, the sense of respect that had been building for Armin vanished and, in its place, spite and annoyance grew. Underestimate him? Underestimate  _what?_ That he could type out a few things and find details on people nobody cared about? Big fucking whoop. Anyone who got into coding in middle school could do that. If Levi rolled his eyes any harder, they'd get stuck at the back of his head.

"You're really not that special," he growled, rounding on the small blonde, whose confidence vanished as he grew small in his chair. Honestly, what was the kid even doing here? He didn't belong in prison, where he could be beaten to a pulp. Where Levi was about to beat him to a pulp. "And you'll do well to remember that. Spoiled brats like you shouldn't even be here. You could get hurt. What does a shit like you think you're doing here, anyway?"

At the last comment, Armin wrinkled his nose, then smiled - more like a shit-eating grin. He shrugged, spinning to face away from Levi, and stood up. "I'm in here for the same operation as Erwin," he replied nonchalantly.

That was it! Armin knew that Levi didn't know, and definitely knew that Levi wasn't supposed to know. That little shit! Levi grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, fisting his hands in Armin's collar and getting in his face. They were so close that their noses touched, and Armin's baby blue eyes were wide and terrified, his breath coming out in tiny pants. He wasn't so cocky when Levi was about to pummel him.

"Alright, then, blondie," he spat, voice low and menacing. "I'll give you one chance to tell me what Smith's in for before I hurt you."

"If I tell you,  _he'll_ hurt me!" Armin squawked indignantly, grasping Levi's wrists and trying (see: failing) to loosen the grip on his shirt. Yeah, Erwin probably would hurt him. Or worse. Idly, he wondered what the man would have done if any of the inmates Levi had interrogated had spilled the beans, and then decided that he didn't want to know.

"Then I suppose you'll just have to pick which fist you'd prefer," Levi said dryly, untouched by his fear. Armin shook his head violently, and a shaky laugh escaped his lips.

"A-And if you hurt me, he'll hurt you," he forced out.

 _Ugh._ Levi's grip loosened a bit, though not enough to free Armin. He was probably telling the truth. Erwin threatened to fuck him up over fighting miscellaneous inmates; there was no telling what he would do if Levi dared to hurt Armin, his special little intel toy, especially if it was as badly as he wanted to, and especially if they were as close as Erwin made them seem.

Jealousy spiked, and Levi nearly threw Armin at the desk, giving a contemptuous scoff.  _He's one of mine._ One of? How many were there? The nerve of that god on earth, playing with Levi's feelings - or rather, his dick, metaphorically, obviously - while he did the same to fuck knows how many others. It wasn't fair. It was infuriating. It had a surge of possessiveness rising in his chest, telling him to punch Armin in his stupid twink face regardless of the consequences, and find whoever else there was so he could do it to them too.

Erwin would kick his ass for it. Oh, Levi could expect an absolute  _beating._ And for some reason the idea thrilled him. Who cared, so long as he established dominance?

Levi snapped out of his reverie to the realization that Armin was moving carefully towards the exit. In half a moment Levi was there, holding the door closed and grabbing Armin's wrist to stop him. Their faces were inches apart once more, and Levi tilted his head, hoping the fury in his eyes was clear as day.

"One more thing, Armin."

His voice was much quieter, calmer, and the blond visibly relaxed, clearly having expected yelling - or worse, the promised beating. He cocked his head as well. It was a cute look on him, and that thought made Levi angrier, but he fought to keep cool.

"What?"

Levi drew in closer, pressing their foreheads together. His voice was a low growl when he spoke again.

"Stay the fuck off of Erwin."

Armin flinched at the sudden change and jerked his wrist away, nearly falling back from the momentum when, to his surprise, Levi let go easily. He huffed in minor annoyance, though he didn't hide his wariness from Levi, watching him closely. A small, ironic smile dared to cross his lips.

"Don't worry, Levi," he said slyly, opening the door and smoothing his shirt. "I don't want him."

He disappeared down the hall.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just really headcanon levi as excessively and aggressively possessive
> 
> dont have unprotected sex, kids

 

One hundred and nineteen. One hundred and twenty.

Sweat formed in beads and rolled off his muscles. Everything was slick and mildly uncomfortable, but then again, exercise was supposed to be.

One hundred and twenty one. One hundred and twenty two.

Levi's hands were laced behind his head. His feet were wedged in the railing of the bed and planted firmly against the wall for leverage, and from the knee up he was hanging from the top bunk, creating a wider arc with every situp. It was remarkably harder this way, but it gave him something to do.

One hundred and twenty three. One hundred and twenty four. One hundred and twenty five.

The cell door swung open, and the familiar footfalls that signified Erwin's return reached his ears. He glanced over at the man, though he did not halt in his workout. The blond was watching him, eyes trailing over his body. A few months ago, it would have made him self conscious. Now there was none of that. Perhaps a little heat, but Levi refused to deal with the attraction now, simply attributing it to the exercise.

One hundred and twenty . . . what?

Levi lost count with the intrusion, and gave a rather exaggerated huff of irritation as he sat up completely on the top bunk before hopping down to meet Erwin, who seemed rather fascinated. Ignoring it the best he could, Levi grabbed a water bottle off the desk in their shared cell - he had not asked where the man got them, nor did he really care - and downed it, trying to ignore the eyes on him. When he had emptied the bottle and they did not falter, however, he felt the mild irritation grow.

"The hell are you staring at, Smith?" he barked. It was harsh, much harsher than warranted for a little staring, and Levi knew it, but  _fuck_ if Erwin did not piss him off at every turn. If it were not for that, they probably would have gotten together already. It was a shame that such a god on earth had to also be such an asshole.

"I know a nice body when I see one, Levi," Erwin said smoothly, and it took Levi by surprise. He had never heard the man say anything like that so genuinely, and had low-key forgotten he was even shirtless. Still, he did not keep his guard down for Erwin to go any further.

"Get to why you're really here," he grumbled, taking a seat on the lower bunk. Erwin quirked an eyebrow at him, the corners of his lips twitching into a smile.

"Levi, I  _live_ here."

Was he trying to piss him off? The obvious answer was yes, but the question was also obviously rhetorical. "Yeah, and you were out for fucking hours. Tell me what the hell is going on."

Erwin shook his head like a tired parent, and Levi wanted to punch him. He would have if it were not for how poorly that had gone before. Levi hated him, but he valued his well-being a little more. Erwin sat down next to him, and the chance to elbow him in the side was tempting, but impulse control won over and Levi leaned back on his hands.

He was glad he had not acted on the violent urges, because Erwin stuck a hand in his pocket and pulled out a small black device. The aggression was quickly replaced with curiosity. Erwin held it out for Levi to take, and take it he did. Levi turned the device over in his hands. It was a small box, rather similar to a hand radio, though he knew by subtle differences that it was not. He gave Erwin an inquiring look, and the larger man carefully took it from his hands.

"What does it do?"

Erwin slipped the device back into his pocket and, without warning, turned toward his cellmate and planted one of his hands on the bed on the other side of Levi, effectively caging him in. Levi moved to struggle, but then lips were at his ear. The warmth of Erwin's breath there made him shiver.

"This little baby intercepts radio signals. It's part of the plan to help us get the hell out of here."

And then Erwin was pulling away, leaving Levi red-faced and frustrated. The blond stood and moved to the doorway of the cell, leaning against the metal bars.

"What the  _fuck_ was that, Smith?!" he ground out, curling his hands into fists. Oh, he was  _so_ close to punching his pretty face. It would be worth it just to break that perfect nose. But Erwin actually looked somewhat serious, only a little smug from his actions, and it cooled Levi's short temper somewhat.

"A necessary precaution," Erwin said, and how it actually could be was beyond Levi's knowledge, though by his tone he was inclined to believe him. Reluctantly, Levi backed down, though another thought nagged at him.

"Why even bother escaping?" he asked, only a little intrigued, of course. "You've got this entire shithole wrapped around your damn finger."

Erwin narrowed his eyes in contemplation, then shrugged. "Incarceration isn't exactly how I planned to spend my life, you know."

"Smith - "  _Nobody plans to spend their life in prison, you fuckwit._ Though his response implied another option. "Just what the hell did you do to get landed in here?

Ignoring his question, Erwin straightened up and turned, starting to walk off. "It's nearly lunchtime. Let's eat."

Levi, seething, followed him out. He was going to solve this mystery someday.

.-.-.-.-.

"E-Erwin!"

It was distant, faint, the small outcry, but Levi's ears picked it up nonetheless. The voice was familiar and the name even moreso. Levi slipped quietly out of bed, noting that the cell door was unlocked and propped open with a small chunk of wood from the shop. Eyes narrowing in suspicion, Levi slipped through the door and glanced around.

There was another voice, smooth, low, much quieter than the former. He knew in a heartbeat it was Erwin. If he had not been sure then, it was confirmed when he took a glance down the narrow hallway. At the far end stood the man, with a smaller, lanky form pressed up against the wall. Erwin's hands were settled on Armin's waist, bodies pressed close. Erwin was facing away from Levi, and the other's face was hidden by his large frame.

Levi could hardly fathom the anger rising in his chest, up through his throat and making him want to scream, breaching his mind and clouding his vision red. Hadn't he  _just_  told that mushroom-headed fuckwit to back off of Erwin? He was going to fuck that kid up, but not until Erwin, oh, Erwin. Erwin was not going to be a beautiful man much longer.

There was another low murmur, and then Erwin was letting Armin free, giving a farewell in the form of squeezing his ass. Levi nearly rushed them then, furious at the small, embarrassed squeak the tiny blond gave.

Why was he even bothering to restrain himself? He was ready to  _fuck them up._ He hardly even cared about the consequences. All he wanted was to pummel them to a pulp.

Levi made his way down the hall, bare feet silent on the tile. Armin was shrinking from his line of sight, but Erwin was still in the same spot, watching him go. Levi was halfway down the hall when Armin rounded a corner and disappeared from sight, and when he did Erwin turned and, naturally, spotted a raging Levi coming at him. Erwin held up his hands in surrender, a placating smile on his face. Levi only moved faster.

"Erwin fucking Smith - "

His voice was louder than it should have been, the exclamation a snarl. Erwin's expression faltered into something less amused and more grave. Levi was just feet away from him when he brought one of his fists back and, when he was close enough, aimed right for that perfect fucking jaw.

Erwin caught the punch, but was not prepared for the second one Levi threw, straight at his stomach. He hit a wall of muscle and, while a sharp exhale marked he had driven breath from Erwin, he was not so winded that he could not grab Levi's other hand. He spun them around, slamming Levi against the wall, grip moving to his wrists while he was still disoriented.

"Levi." It was a warning, low and dangerous. Icy blue and gunmetal silver stared each other down, sparks flying. And then Levi lunged forward and kissed him.

Erwin stood for a moment in stunned silence, eyes wide and staring, and Levi prided himself on successfully shutting the man up and finally wiping the smug look off of his face. They did not break eye contact, Erwin's hands sliding down Levi's forearms and settling on his shoulders instead. Levi's eyes narrowed, a challenge, and Erwin leaned forward for another kiss.

Lips and tongues mingled in a breathless dance as Levi's now free hands grabbed fistfuls of Erwin's shirt. Impatient, Levi shoved a thigh between the other man's legs, satisfied when he found Erwin already half hard. A rough growl issued from deep in Erwin's throat at the motion, different and far more wild than any noise Levi had ever heard from the man before. He broke their kiss to lean down and grasp Levi's thighs, lifting him and wrapping them around his waist. Levi's arms moved to wind around Erwin's shoulders, and his mouth latched on the soft skin of Erwin's neck.

Harsh bites, rapidly darkening hickies, messy kisses. Levi ravaged Erwin's throat with marks as he made his way back to their cell. When they arrived, Erwin kicked the block out of place and under the bed, and dumped Levi unceremoniously onto the mattress. The ravenet did not have time to complain. Erwin was on him in an instant, stealing another messy kiss before working on removing both of their clothes. Levi was happy to assist in the act and soon they were both bare.

Oh,  _god._ Levi nearly moaned at the sight of Erwin's dick, every bit as huge and incredible as he had imagined. He absolutely still wanted to ride Erwin into oblivion - if anything, he wanted it even more now. 

So ride he did. 

He supposed they both should have been more conscious of the risk, especially in a prison, but when they were both finished and satiated and there was no itching, Levi figured he was probably good. He dragged heavily on the cigarette Erwin had offered him, laying on his stomach with his upper body draped across Erwin's lap. Fuck, it had been way too long since he had nicotine.

Gentle fingers carded through his hair, and while pleasant, it felt degrading. Like was some kind of pet. It was a harsh reminder, but a combination of nails on his scalp and nicotine clouding his mind kept the anger from sparking even a little.

"If all I had to do was flirt with Armin a little to get you like this, I would have done it sooner."

That snapped Levi out of the high of the afterglow, and he put his cigarette out on the metal frame of the bed before getting up and straddling Erwin's lap, eyes meeting in a hard stare-off. One amused, the other irritated. Levi shoved at Erwin's shoulders, and the man played along, falling back onto his elbows. Levi crossed his arms.

"What the fuck were you doing with him, anyways?" he spat, glowering. Erwin smiled.

"Exchanging information, of course," he replied, as if it were the simplest concept in the world. "What did you think I was doing with you this morning? It's the easiest way to make sure nobody cares enough to listen in."

He wanted to get mad and call bullshit, but damn it, it made sense. He relented, resting on his forearms to leave another possessive hickey. A contented sigh left Erwin's lips. His neck and collar were covered in the dark marks, and while most people would be ashamed or even angry, Erwin did not seem to give the smallest shit about it, even appearing pleased.

"Don't touch him again," Levi said firmly when he sat up again.

Erwin merely shrugged, and the ravenet rolled his eyes and moved to lay next to Erwin. He stared at the top bunk above him, mind blissfully blank for the time being, though something small nagged at him. Perhaps post-sex Erwin would have a looser tongue . . .

"Smith?"

"Hm?"

"How did you end up here? Don't bullshit me this time."

Erwin seemed to genuinely contemplate it for a moment, and then turned his head to look at Levi, smiling like a moron.

"I was shopping and forgot to pay for something tiny at the door. Accidentally shoplifted, if you will." 

Levi kicked him off the bed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this and the next two chapters were all meant to be one final chapter. it,,,, got out of control. they'll be posted close to each other.

"Here," Erwin said gravely, tossing Levi an unsheathed knife. Anyone else would have panicked, but he caught it with ease. "I'm sure you know how to use this."

Levi nodded silently, holding the blade in a reverse grip. The prison was dead silent, as it always was at night, and hopefully, it would stay that way. His mind, however, was abuzz with activity. He had not stopped thinking about this night since the one when he, Erwin, and (regretfully) Armin had met to discuss the finer details.

This was a huge risk they were taking, and there was no guarantee that any of them would even make it out alive.

Erwin looked on coolly from the doorway, but for once, Levi knew the man was just as grave as he was about the situation. For the past week, they had mulled over the game plan together, making sure neither forgot even the smallest details and even discussing improvisational tactics in case something went amiss.

"Erwin."

His voice felt too loud, or perhaps it was just unfamiliar, the name strange on his tongue. It was not like he never said it. He simply preferred to nag and be an overall nuisance. Smith, asshole, fuckwit, shitbag. He was creative before he was polite.

"Yes?"

Levi's grip on the knife tightened. He offered a small, cocky smirk, looking past Erwin to stare past the bars of their cell. He did not want to look into those piercing blue eyes, did not want to see how the man remained so grim. "If you get hurt, I'm leaving your ass behind."

It was half-hearted. Erwin did not have to know that. The quiet snort he gave made the harsh words  _so_ worth it, even if they were a lie.

To be honest, Levi had no clue what he would do if something happened to Erwin. Erwin was the one with the connections, the one who made life in prison easier, the one who had an escape planned for him. If something happened to him, if something happened to Armin - which, to be honest, Levi was pretty certain something would - what guarantee was there that Erwin's people would still help him out? None.

At least, those were the reasons Levi gave himself for his hesitation.

"Whatever you say, Levi," Erwin said, finally smiling a tad. A call on his bluff. Once, it would not have been a bluff. Levi wondered when that had changed. He could not deny, however, that the show of positivity boosted his confidence that this all would work out. "It's almost time."

It was probably wishful thinking to hope everything would go off without a hitch, but it felt like optimism that things would work out felt like the only thing that had Levi following Erwin out of the cell. What the hell was he doing? A jailbreak? He was terrified of federal prison at first, of course, and perhaps that was why he would go along with such a stupid idea.

Still, he did not know which he feared more - being left behind without the protection Erwin had offered, or being dragged back after a royal fuck-up to the gaping maw of imprisonment and hungry inmates. Now was not the time to think about it, anyways. He could reflect later.

They knew the routes for tonight, and a guard's flashlight shone around a corner. Erwin shoved Levi ungracefully into an alcove in the hallway, squished uncomfortably in the corner, and he wanted to grumble about it. Instead, he waited with bated breath, heart pounding as the flashlight beam grew larger. Erwin's hand remained firm around his upper arm, grounding him.

And then it disappeared, and Levi heard the guard's neck snap with a resounding  _crack._ Once, Levi would have described it as sickening. Now, it sent a thrill down his spine, watching Erwin's muscles flex under his skin, crushing a grown man's throat like it was nothing.  _Stole a pen, my ass._ The movement was too natural, too practiced. Levi internally scolded himself; this was hardly the time to speculate about Erwin's past, and a romp in the closet was hardly the night's objective.

The alcove held a door to a janitorial closet, and they swiftly pulled the man in, Erwin snagging the taser and baton from his belt. He offered them silently to Levi, but he refused.

"You're sure?"

"I have all I need."

Erwin slipped the radio off the guard's belt. He pressed the input button three times in quick succession - nothing noteworthy to the other guards, maybe raising a single eyebrow, but a meaningful message to Armin in the command room. A signal.

Levi held his breath and counted to five, and then Erwin pulled the jammer from before out of his pocket. Another five seconds and they left the closet. All cameras should have been disabled, all hand radios in a mile radius jammed, all sirens disabled, and Armin would be on his way to meet them. Levi wished he could trust that.

With the patrol route memorized, they snuck down the hall, turning right and spotting the red exit sign that marked the stairs. On the other side of the door, they knew, would be a waiting guard. They crouched low and kept to the side of the hall, just in case the man on the other side of the door decided to glance through the window.

When they arrived at the door, a mere glance and slow blink was the duo's only communication before Erwin threw his full weight against the heavy door. Speed was of the essence, and speed was something Erwin had just enough of to allow Levi to slip through the gap and drive his knife into the guard's throat before he could even raise his taser.

Erwin let the door shut so silently that Levi did not hear the latch click over the gurgling of blood. His chest fluttering with a strange excitement he had not felt in months, Levi gave a harsh twist of the blade and watched the stab wound turn into a messy, gaping hole of skin and what he assumed was the man's trachea. The front of the man's uniform was already stained crimson, and Levi finally ripped the knife free, watching in satisfaction as blood spattered in an arc and landed on his own face and clothes.

The body instantly slumped to the ground, and Levi stared down at the blood and bits of flesh already caking on his hands, adrenaline pumping through his veins, and the powerful feeling that had been stripped from him after being brought to that hellhole rushed back all at once.

Oh, how he had missed this.

"Levi."

It was a quiet reminder, not a jibe or reprimand, not even a tad judgmental. A little amused, perhaps, judging by the barely concealed smile on Erwin's face, but Levi did not care. He felt amazing. Nodding breathlessly, he followed Erwin down the stairs.

The stairs felt endless with how slow they had to move. There more more guards, and they were dispatched quickly, effortlessly. Everything was running so smoothly. Too smoothly. In the high of near bloodlust, Levi hardly noticed.

On the bottom floor and down another hallway came a back room - a break room - and the floor was littered with unmoving bodies. Dead or unconscious, Levi did not know, but Armin stood waiting for them by a grey door marked with the same red sign as the stairwell.

"You do this?" Levi asked as he stepped over a sprawled body, surprised. Armin nodded smugly.

"I didn't get in here for nothing," he said proudly. Levi snorted and rolled his eyes. Still, he was surprised; this looked to be quite the massacre. He was more than a little envious.

Erwin put a finger to his lips and placed his hand on the door handle. "This is it," he murmured. They all fell silent, grim expressions overtaking their faces, and anxiety rose in Levi's chest. This really was it. They either escaped, or they did not. Most likely, they would be killed if they did not make it out.

He half expected some kind of pep talk before they went out, but was glad when it did not come. It would have just made him more antsy. Instead, he made sure to unlock his knees, crouching slightly and readying himself as Erwin pushed open the door. Armin made the tiniest of fearful whimpers from behind him, Levi not even having the heart to tell him to shut the hell up, and then they started to run.

The first thing he spotted were the beams of searchlights. Levi had known they would be there, but damn it, he had prayed they would get at least halfway across the field before they swept over the trio. The stretch was just too long, and when he saw a spotlight moving to collide with their party, even a burst of speed to his sprint did not save him.

A siren blared - a manual one, an alarm that could be hand-cranked. It was faint, far quieter than the prison system's alarms, but loud enough to alert the other towers. Levi could not help himself; a string of curses left his mouth as they continued to run and the searchlights honed in. The gunfire started, the spray of bullets making dirt rise in little puffs around their feet, and they spread out in an attempt to be harder to hit.

And then, with a sense of dread settling in Levi's gut, came the sound of angry men and snarling dogs behind them.

"Faster!" was Erwin's urgent command, and Levi tried. He tried his hardest, but of all the things man can outrun, bullets are not one. Pain exploded in his thigh and he tumbled ungracefully to the ground.

He was ashamed of the pathetic cry that left his lips, and his heart thundered in his chest as the triumphant howling of the German Shepherds sounded behind him. Levi chanced a glance and found them all racing forward, feeling bullets whiz past him as he eyed the saliva dripping from the hounds' vicious teeth. This was it, wasn't it? He had known the risks, and yet here he was, cowering, watching his life about to come at its end at the claws of snarling beasts.

Well, it wasn't as if Levi did not deserve such a fate. He was surprised death had not come sooner, really. Maybe his corpse would distract the dogs long enough to let Erwin get out. Levi wished that thought soothed the terror.

"Get  _up,"_ came an angry growl from behind him, and then strong hands were lifting him off the ground.

Agony shot up Levi's leg, and he could not help crying out as he mistakenly put weight on that side. Then Levi was weightless. He yelped as Erwin threw him over his shoulder, bony frame digging painfully into his stomach, and started to run back towards the fence.

It took Levi a shameful amount of time to get over his shock. Erwin had . . . he had not left him behind. Gasping out painful breaths, Levi focused on trying to prevent his leg from being jostled so much, reducing the pain somewhat. Before he could dwell too thoroughly on the matter at hand, Armin appeared in his line of sight, having lagged to run alongside Erwin.

"Take this!" he shouted, and Levi barely managed to catch the gun Armin tossed to him. "It's full!"

Levi glanced up towards the horde behind Erwin, and there were the dogs, gaining on them. Levi breathed as deeply as he could through the pain and narrowed his eyes, raising the pistol. They were not out of the hills yet, but they could be soon. Levi would make sure they made it.

They were relying on Levi. He refused to be dead weight. He would not let Erwin's decision to help him be a fatal mistake.

It was a shame; Levi had always liked dogs. It made him far guiltier seeing them fall to the ground and twitch pathetically than any murder of a human had. Five dogs later and he only had four bullets left, and his ears were ringing.

Levi was about to make them count when he heard the distant buzz of Erwin's voice, and he fought hard to tune in. When he tried, he picked up a name.

"Mike!"

He looked over his shoulder and saw, on the other side of the gate, a camouflaged Jeep with no tags. A hefty man - even bigger and more built than Erwin, if that was even possible - hopped out of it with a pair of bolt cutters, wrestling with the lock on the gate as they advanced toward it. Just in time, it snapped, and Erwin barreled through the gate with Armin on his heels.

Mike practically leaped into the driver's seat, Armin scrambling into the passenger side. The back of the Jeep was almost completely open with no second row of seats, clearly modified. Erwin threw Levi in ungracefully before hoisting himself up and squeezing inside.

Levi leaned against the back of Armin's seat, clutching his wound and breathing hard through his nose. Everything was starting to get muted, noise growing muffled and the forest around them getting blurry as Mike sped off, and he noted how much blood was on Erwin's shirt as the man yanked him down to press flat against the floor of the vehicle.

Erwin's arm caged him in, hand firm on his head as though expecting him to try to pop back up, when in fact Levi found himself rather comfortable simply laying there. His breathing was a little more ragged now, however, and far noisier, choked noises escaping every few moments. The rough movement felt like it had absolutely set his leg on fire.

"Levi?"

It was Armin's voice, high pitched still from the tension of the chase and laced with concern. Levi wanted to groan. What did that little asshole want? He was a little busy, here.

"Mike," Erwin said urgently, almost imploringly. A grunt from the burly man, and the sound of Armin rummaging in the glove compartment. "Levi, stay awake."

"I am," Levi tried to say, but it only came out as a mumble. In a sudden stroke of clarity, his mind supplied him with the term  _'_ blood loss.' _What a way to go,_  he thought, probably too amused.  _Escaping one terrible fate only to fall to another._

"You will be after this," Erwin muttered under his breath, surprisingly clear compared to all the other sounds around them, and then he smelled alcohol.

And then he forgot all about his leg being on fire, because the entire  _world_ was on fire. Erwin was right. He was very awake. And then, with an agonized scream torn from his throat that left it sore, he passed out.


	6. Chapter 6

"-vi. Levi!"

When Levi opened his eyes, everything was bright, but not so bright that it hurt. He attributed it to the figure leaned over him, blocking out the worst of the sun's rays. He could not really see the features of the man, but he knew who it was.

"Erwin?" he said dumbly, and his mouth felt like cotton.

He propped himself up on his elbows. Erwin backed away, allowing Levi to sit up properly, and the sun lit up that smooth skin and made his pretty blond hair shine. His face was cool, impassive. It was warm, though not warm enough; Levi shivered slightly and rubbed his hands against his upper arms. He blinked several times against the harsh sunlight.

"Yes?"

Jolted from his observations, Levi squinted a little at Erwin, confused. Had he asked a question? He could not remember. "I . . . don't know."

Erwin cocked his head, looking Levi up and down. Levi stared back, noticing the white undershirt and how it was absolutely covered in blood. Erwin's orange jacket had been discarded and lay some distance away. It was also stained with a remarkable amount of red.

"Here." Erwin handed him a bottle of orange juice from a cooler beside him, along with two small capsules. He leaned against the side of the Jeep's bed after Levi had accepted them both and started chugging the juice. "You lost a lot of blood back there, so you'll feel like hell for a while."

The orange juice was cold, refreshing, and it helped lift the fog over Levi's mind. The scenery around him grew clearer, and he made out a forest. It was different than the one around the prison; this one was darker, greener. Conifers, probably. A glance to the front seat revealed Armin was driving, and Mike seemed to be asleep, with his arms crossed and chin drooping onto his chest.

Glancing back at Erwin, his eyes caught on the man's neck. Levi could still see faint bruising where he had marked him. He decided he should darken those up soon. Now that they were free, he would have all the time in the world.

As his mind cleared, pain in his leg became evident, and with a hiss he clutched at his thigh. His pants were stiff and uncomfortable from blood and it felt disgusting.  _"Shit,"_ he complained loudly, an effort at distracting himself. "Fuck! Jesus Christ, Erwin, this fucking  _sucks._ You should have just left me to die, holy shit."

Erwin's eyes narrowed. "There are painkillers in the glove compartment," he said stiffly, and inclined his head toward Levi's hand, where he still held the medicine from before. "And take those. They're iron supplements. You'll need them."

Levi was taken aback for all of two seconds, baffled that Erwin did not take the provocation. "Not trying to poison me, then, asshole?" he grumbled, reaching for the cooler. His leg complained at the stretch and he winced. Erwin quickly swatted his hand away and fetched him another bottle. Bristling, Levi snapped, "I can get my own fucking juice, you twat!"

Erwin's eyes were piercing in a way they never had been before, and Levi wanted to shrink. Of course, Levi did not know what was good for him, so he glared back. Finally, Erwin said, "I'm not trying to poison you, Levi," and that was that.

With a quiet, childish huff, Levi downed the supplements and rested against the passenger seat. His thigh jolted painfully every time it moved, and with the bumpy road they traveled on, that was every second, sometimes multiple times a second.

Levi did not want to speak again, but after a particularly bad bounce, he'd had enough. "Blondie - "

"Here," Armin interrupted, sounding relieved, and shook a bottle of pills in Levi's face. Annoyed, Levi snatched it from his hand and shook out a few more ibuprofen than he was probably supposed to take. He handed the bottle back, hoping it would kick in soon. It was just over-the-counter, but it was all they could get.

Levi did not want to look at Erwin anymore, so he watched the scenery go by instead. Geese flew overhead, and on occasion he saw larger animals in the trees, though they went by too fast to figure out exactly what they were.

"Hey, blondie," Levi started, unwilling to talk to the other asshole, "where are we?"

"Canada," Armin answered, and he sounded grateful for the conversation. Levi did not blame him, though he was surprised at the answer. The air was tense. "Mike got us across the border easy through some connections. We're home safe."

Connections. It was all connections. Who even was Mike? Just how many people did they have? How could someone even form this many connections? Levi sipped his orange juice. "Where to now?"

"At the next trucker stop we find, we're going to get you and Erwin showers if we can," Armin said. His fingers tapped against the steering wheel. "There's usually small clothes selections there, so we'll get you something nicer to change into and some new bandages."

"New?" Levi questioned, surprised. He supposed all the blood on his pants was dry for a reason, but he did not genuinely think they would bother to wrap it.

"Mike offered his jacket and Erwin treated it the best he could. It's makeshift at best. At worst, a total mess."

When Levi glanced back to Erwin, the man's eyes were glued to the spot on Levi's thigh where the bullet hit. Erwin treated it, huh? Of course he did - who else would? Levi should not have been surprised, so he decided not to be. It was just treating a wound. Erwin probably did it all the time.

"I'm tired," Levi said suddenly, and he was being honest, even if it was mostly because he did not know what else to say. He scooted forward with a grimace and laid down. It was not comfortable, but it was not uncomfortable, either. "Don't wake me up unless it's for a shower or drugs."

"Roger that," Armin said brightly.

Levi fell asleep almost instantly, his thigh resonating nothing but a dull ache.

.

Levi awoke to a big, gentle hand shaking his shoulder. For a moment, he thought it was Erwin, but it turned out to be Mike instead. An odd feeling had Levi's stomach dropping. He could not pinpoint it, so he ignored it.

"What?" Levi grumbled, a little ruder than he should have been. His leg did not hurt as much as earlier, so he deduced he had only napped and that the painkillers had kicked in. Thank fucking god.

"Shower," was all Mike said, and he left to join a waiting Armin. Together, they marched towards a large building nearby, and it was then that Levi noticed their location.

The building was gray with a red roof, and absolutely huge. Gas pumps covered the lot, and next to the building was a smaller gray building, where Levi assumed the rest stop had the showers. Levi watched Mike and Armin disappear inside, and then . . .

Then he was left with Erwin.

Levi wanted to say something snarky. He wanted to roll his eyes or snap at Erwin or call him some dumb name, but he knew none of it would get him banter. It was frustrating, even infuriating. So infuriating, in fact, that when Erwin offered assistance to get out of the truck, he refused it. Violently.

"Fuck off, I don't need your help!"

Erwin's eyes flashed dangerously, and for a moment, Levi was certain he had made a giant mistake. But then Erwin stepped back and allowed Levi to get down by himself.

Levi landed gracefully on the pavement, and immediately his bad leg flared. He buckled with a weak, pathetic noise. He had made a mistake after all. Erwin was there in an instant, throwing one of Levi's arms over his shoulders and walking him over to the showers, moving slow for Levi. It was infuriating.

The sun was only just setting, so very few truckers had stopped there, and none seemed to pay heed to two blood-soaked men wandering into the building. Erwin made his way into an empty stall and set a bundle of clothes and towels that Levi had not noticed previously on a shelf, setting Levi down on the stone bench.

Erwin pulled his stained shirt over his head and tossed it in a corner and, at Levi's wary look, cocked an eyebrow. "You should probably get undressed," he said flatly.

Anger flared and tinted Levi's cheeks, his voice growing heated. "I'm not fucking showering with you, you dick! Get your own damn stall!"

"We only bought one," Erwin replied, slipping his shoes off and setting them with the clean clothes. "It's not anything you or I haven't seen, Levi."

"Don't talk to me like a fucking idiot, Smith." And there it was - the surname. Erwin had been avoidant all day, and it was starting to really piss him off. "You don't want to talk to me? Fine. Get the hell out of here and shower somewhere fucking else, far from me! I can take care of my own damn self!"

"I doubt you can do anything with that leg. You're lucky you're even here."

Levi's eyes went wide. That hurt more than it should have, even if it was just the tiniest of twinges. Now it was perfectly clear to him. Things suddenly made sense. His eyes narrowed, and he clutched at the stone wall, standing and leaning his weight on his good leg.

"So what, do you want a fucking thank-you blowjob?"

Levi's free hand clenched into a fist. Erwin's expression was inscrutable.

"If it's that much of a fucking burden to deal with me and this shitty injury," Levi growled, "then you should have just left me to fucking rot in the first place." Taking a deep breath, he limped toward the door, holding onto the wall the entire time for support. Every step hurt like hell, but he was too angry to admit it. "I'm leaving. Get back to your shitty friends and go the fuck home. Away from me."

Erwin did not say anything.  _Of course he fucking won't. I'm useless to him now. Bastard._ Levi's leg was screaming at him and he was almost at the door. His hand reached out to the curtain.

"Levi - "

And then Erwin was grabbing his waist, carefully turning him so they were face-to-face, and gently grasping his chin. Levi wanted to struggle, wanted to punch him in the throat and knee him in the fucking dick and hobble right out of there, but something in the other man's face stopped him. He had never seen Erwin so troubled, eyebrows low and drawn close together, jaw clenched tight.

Levi was far from calm. He was not forgiving Erwin by leaning up and kissing him. He was not going for reassurance for either of them. He was just very, very tired of seeing that stupid expression on his face and ridiculously fucking frustrated, and he needed an outlet for all this bullshit.

And Erwin kissed back, meeting Levi's angry passion with a ferocity of his own, and that asshole had the  _nerve_ to look so frazzled when they pulled back, the usually impeccable smirk he wore after a kiss replaced with soft gasps for air and slightly parted lips. Levi got a very brief window to take in the sight, and then Erwin was kissing him again with the familiar edge of need and hunger, but within it a sort of tenderness Levi had never felt before.

They pulled back once more, both panting and red in the face. Levi did not know when his fingers had dug into Erwin's shoulder blades, but he was unwilling to let go. They stood there for what felt like hours, staring intently, each waiting for the other to speak - or perhaps working up the will to speak themselves.

"I shouldn't have put you in that kind of danger," Erwin said into the silence.

And then it clicked,  _actually_ clicked. Erwin did not think Levi was a burden - he thought Levi's condition was his own fault. He was not angry or petty, he was  _guilty._

Levi always thought he would want to see the day when Erwin was vulnerable to him. He would laugh in the man's face, mock his insecurities, rub his nose in it. That sick bastard would get everything he deserved.

"Levi - "

_Ah, fuck it._

Levi silenced him with another kiss, stubbornly refusing to let him finish whatever it was he was going to say next. "You don't have to say anything, moron," he whispered against Erwin's lips. "Let's wash this blood off. I feel fucking disgusting."

When he pulled away, Erwin's cocky smile was back, and Levi would never admit how relieved it made him.

.

"Hey, asshole."

"Hm?"

The sweater was warm and comfortable, Armin having guessed his size well, and Erwin's lap made for a nice pillow. His thigh had gone down to a dull throb, welcome after the scorching pain that was cleaning and properly bandaging it. Erwin's fingers rested comfortably in his now clean hair, scratching lightly at his scalp.

"Will you finally tell me what the hell you were in for?"

He was hopeful, but Erwin's moment of vulnerability had long passed. He ruffled Levi's hair fondly, like one would to a pet dog.

"Porn, Levi. Lots and lots of illegally downloaded porn."

For a moment, Levi was speechless. Only a moment. Then -

"What the fuck ever, asshole."


End file.
